President Donald Trump announced [1] Monday from the Oval Office that he supports a move to formally designate Antifa and other far-left extremist groups as terrorist organizations, a decision that has reemerged as a point of national discussion following the murder of Charlie Kirk.
While Trump has previously indicated his backing for such a designation, the matter surfaced again as he outlined a surge in federal resources aimed at addressing crime and illegal immigration in Memphis.
When asked about whether his administration intends to move forward with labeling Antifa a terrorist organization, Trump said the decision would be made if he has the necessary backing.
“Well, it’s something I would do. Yeah, if I have support from the people back here, I think we’d start with Pam, I think,” Trump said, referring to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“But I would if you give me I would do that 100 percent and others also, by the way. But Antifa. is terrible. There are other groups. Yeah, there are other groups. We have some pretty radical groups and they got away with murder.”
The president also noted that investigations are underway into several left-wing organizations, including those connected to the Soros network.
Trump suggested that a racketeering case could potentially be pursued based on evidence of groups fundraising for protests that later turned violent.
He pointed to events during the Black Lives Matter riots in 2020 and more recent incidents in Los Angeles as examples.
“These aren’t protests. These are crimes what they’re doing, where they’re throwing bricks at cars of ICE and Border Patrol. They come in a beautiful new car, they’re so proud. It’s Border Patrol, Ice, you know, it’s got whatever it is. And they’re throwing rocks at it. And after 50 yards, it looks like an old beat up vehicle. It was just brand new. It was just bought for the purposes. And they don’t have to take that anymore,” Trump said.
The president contrasted his approach with prior administrations, saying far-left violence was historically overlooked.
“And I say when they spit, you hit. Do whatever you want. You do whatever the hell you want,” Trump told reporters of his directive to federal agents.
During the press conference, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller expanded on the administration’s view that nonprofit entities are helping to coordinate attacks against law enforcement.
“Yes, so I believe what you’re referring to is there are these non -profit entities that organize, as the president mentioned, attacks on ICE officers, attacks on border patrol agents, organized doxxing campaigns, which are a violation of federal law,” Miller said.
“They break off cement, and they bring it into riots. They have organized drop points for weapons, organized drop points for a gas mask, organized drop points for all the materials necessary to launch a riot. And of course, you saw that during the Black Lives Matter riots as well, too. So there’s this whole network of organizations. And I think the key point the president’s been making is somebody is paying for all of this,” Miller added.
“This is not happening for free. And so under the president’s direction, the attorney general is going to find out who is paying for it, and they will now be criminally liable for paying for violence.”
.@StephenM [3]: “There are these nonprofit entities that organize attacks on ICE officers, attacks on Border Patrol agents, organized doxxing campaigns… under @POTUS [4]‘ direction, @AGPamBondi [5] is going to find out WHO is paying for it — and they will now be criminally liable for… pic.twitter.com/shcnrihtjY [6]
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 15, 2025 [7]
Trump’s comments signal a renewed push by his administration to address violent activity linked to extremist groups.
The designation of such organizations as terrorist entities would provide the federal government additional tools to investigate and prosecute individuals and networks suspected of supporting or financing violence against law enforcement and public institutions.